D. T. Gillespie

Gillespie was at the peak of his powers throughout the 1950s and still the pacesetter among trumpeters. This double LP matches him with Stan Getz, the Oscar Peterson Trio, and drummer Max Roach for its first half. Getz, although identified with the "cool" school, thrived on competition and is both relaxed and combative on the uptempo explorations of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Impromptu." The remainder of this two-fer substitutes pianist John Lewis and drummer Stan Levey for Peterson and Roach and, most importantly, adds altoist Sonny Stitt to the frontline. The results are three uptempo stomps and just one medium-tempo performance. This is one of their better (and more explosive) studio jam sessions.

Afro (1954). Pairing Dizzy Gillespie with Cuban arranger/composer Chico O'Farrill produced a stunning session which originally made up the first half of a Norgran LP. O'Farrill conducts an expanded orchestra which combines a jazz band with a Latin rhythm section; among the participants in the four-part "Manteca Suite" are trumpeters Quincy Jones and Ernie Royal, trombonist J.J. Johnson, tenor saxophonists Hank Mobley and Lucky Thompson, and conga player Mongo Santamaria. "Manteca," written during the previous decade, serves as an exciting opening movement, while the next two segments build upon this famous theme, though they are jointly credited to O'Farrill as well. "Rhumba-Finale" is straight-ahead jazz with some delicious solo work by Gillespie…

Dizzy Gillespie - The Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (1954-1964) {7CD Box Set Mosaic MCD7-234 rel 2006}
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© 1954-64, 2006 Verve / Philips / Mosaic Records | MCD7-234
Jazz / Bop / Afro-Cuban Jazz / Trumpet

These sessions document unequivocally why Dizzy Gillespie is still considered one of the greatest improvisers in the history of jazz, for his mastery of the instrument, his command of time, his control over musical ideas, and his ability to entertain. He was blessed during this period, which spans 1954 to 1963, with stellar sidemen, unparalleled arrangements, and a surge of excitement for making music.

Teaming together Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge should result in some classic music, but by 1975, Eldridge (although still a fierce competitor) was past his prime and Gillespie was starting to fade. The material performed for this CD reissue is just not all that inspiring - a few overly played standards and blues. Despite some good efforts by Gillespie and Eldridge, pianist Oscar Peterson easily emerges as the most impressive soloist; better to acquire the magnificent collaborations of the 1950s instead.

Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the album is a who's who of great players from rock, jazz and blues… with luminaries such James Booker, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Mann, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Gerry Mulligan, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Jim Gordon, Dean Parks, Larry Carlton and many more.

Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy Digs Paris (1953) {2CD Set Giant Steps GSCR 016 rel 2006}
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© 1953, 2006 Giant Steps | GSCR 016
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Bop / Trumpet

On February 9, 1953, Dizzy Gillespie played a live concert at the Salle Pleyel in Paris that was recorded, though when excerpts were first released, there were only enough used to fill one 10" LP. This two-disc set not only includes the entire 84-minute show (which actually fills just over one disc) for the first time on CD, it also adds 16 studio tracks that Gillespie cut in Paris that same month, as well as eight Gillespie-less studio tracks (also done in Paris in February 1953) by three of his sidemen, working under the name the Wade Legge Trio. It's the live Salle Pleyel set that's the main feature, presented here, according to the liner notes, in an "unedited remastered version of that evening's events with a number of butchered solos fully restored plus the addition of [alto and baritone saxophonist] Bill Graham's previously discarded showcase "'I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance,'" for which Dizzy made a rare appearance on piano."